Story perspectives

MIT Takes No. 1 in U.S. News 2027 Ranking

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 5:02 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

MIT took the No. 1 spot in the U.S. News 2027 National Universities ranking, ending Princeton’s 15-year reign.
Princeton fell to No. 2 and Harvard to No. 3 in the same list.
U.S. News introduced an “earnings by major” factor, replacing the loan-debt metric.
MIT ranked first for earnings-by-major, with Caltech second.

History

Historical Context

U.S. News & World Report eventually added alumni earnings to its college rankings, shifting emphasis from purely academic metrics to financial outcomes. This echoed research such as the 2013 American Community Survey, which found median earnings for 25-34-year-olds ranged from $24,030 for arts majors to $68,143 for engineering. The change has since made earnings a key factor in institutional prestige.

1 of 2

Story summary

MIT took the No. 1 spot in the U.S. News 2027 National Universities ranking, ending Princeton’s 15-year reign.
Princeton fell to No. 2 and Harvard to No. 3 in the same list.
U.S. News introduced an “earnings by major” factor, replacing the loan-debt metric.
MIT ranked first for earnings-by-major, with Caltech second.

1 / 2